“We recognize how important it is for everyone to know, as early as possible, the number of front-line staff for the coming school year,” Currie said.

“The whole principle of this, besides the focus on the learner, is that the number of teachers in front of Island students is not changing… We’re holding the line on the number of teachers.”

Of the 32 positions that will be eliminated, 22 are senior positions within the department and school board as well as curriculum positions and coaches. The remaining 10 positions are board support staff, mainly to be eliminated through attrition, Currie said.

No layoffs are anticipated as a result of these positions cuts, he added.

A number of the individuals working in these positions were on secondment from Island classrooms, and have teaching jobs to return to. The rest will have the opportunity to apply for openings as existing teachers retire.

An average of 30 to 35 teachers retire every year, Currie said.

Anyone affected by the cuts can also apply for several new positions to be available in a new Public Schools Branch that will be created within the education department. It will be responsible for the day-to-day operations of the school system, including hiring front-line educators and school staff, student transportation and student services.

A new Education Act will be introduced in the upcoming spring session of the legislature outlining the new education structure.

The newly integrated education department will have a total of 118 staff supporting the early learning and education system.

“You’ve got an organization that’s going to be lighter and leaner,” Currie said.

“It’s going to be more effective and more strategically aligned with a new set of priorities.”

Currie stressed the new education structure and position cuts are not cost-saving measures. Rather, their aim is to streamline P.E.I.’s top-heavy education bureaucracy and place focus back on classrooms and students.

“This is about the learner, achievement and moving toward excellence.”

Opposition education critic Steven Myers says he was hoping to see more detail about the structural changes happening within the department.

He was cautiously optimistic about Currie’s assertion front line teaching positions would be protected.

“Those teaching positions are ones we’ve been fighting for a long time for, but just to keep the numbers that they have but I know there are increases needed in some areas,” Myers said.

“We’re going to continue to keep an eye on that to make sure government at least lives up to their promise to not reduce those numbers, but we want to ensure that all the schools are treated fairly and have the adequate resources that they need.”

The integration of the school board into the department is expected to be complete before the beginning of the September 2016 school year.